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dfe% trojan
Volume XC, Number 28 University of Southern California Tuesday, March 17, 1981
ALARMS NEARLY IGNORED, ELECTRIC MOTOR THOUGHT TO BE CAUSE
Century Apartments residents escape injury in unit blaze
Man arrested for attempted rape, robbery; suspected arson reported
By Ruben Castaneda
Staff Writer
A 28-year-old man who allegedly assaulted and attempted to rape a university student on campus was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department early Monday morning.
According to Officer Carole Steele of University Security, three Security units were responding to a call of a man harrassing a female student at the corner of 35th and Hoover when they heard screaming from the area around the P.E. building.
They saw a man running from the vicinity of the screams towards the Seeley G. Mudd construction site adjacent to the Grace Ford Salvatori building, Steele said.
Security and the LAPD then set up a perimeter around the area, Steele said.
Between a half hour and an hour later, the suspect was seen and captured by LAPD officers, said Det. Bill LaBrie of the LAPD.
The man was booked by the LAPD for assault with intent to commit rape, LaBrie said.
Steele said the man was probably the same one who had been harrassing a student at the corner of 35th Street and Hoover Street. He had apparently come across another student near the P.E. building, then “pulled her into the bushes and tried to rape her." Steele said.
The victim of the assault was not injured. LaBrie said.
On Saturday night, two students were robbed at gunpoint by two suspects Security believes to have been committing similar robberies in the area. Steele said. The robbery occurred on the 3700 block of Menlo Street. The robbers, one of whom was armed with a tw o-inch blue steel revolver, ordered the students to lay on the ground and told them "don't get up." then searched them and removed their wallets. Steele reported.
(Continued on page 2)
Manson trial reporter defends press liberties
Was subpoenaed, jailed for refusal to reveal sources
By Darren Leon
Staff Writer A fire, possibly caused by an electrical engine, gutted an apartment unit and thick black smoke filled the third floor hallways of the Century Apartments second complex causing $3500 of damage.
The fire began in room 308 which was unoccupied. A closed door and the efforts of the building manager prevented disaster.
“If the door had been open aand the fire had spread into the hall, lives could have been lost. The manager was almost overcome by the smoke,” Fire Chief Lee Busse said.
Apartment manager Tom Donald was treated for smoke inhalation at the Student Health Center after he rescued one girl from her room and attempted to keep the fire from spreading by hosing down the door of room 308.
The electrical engine was thought to be the preliminary causeof the fire. Cindy Edison, a first year law student who was rescued by Donald said she heard a buzzing sound coming from the apartment before the fire started.
“I was in the shower and heard the alarms. I got out of the shower and opened the door and the halls were filled with smoke,” said Edison who lives across from the burning room.
“I yelled ‘Help!" and Tom said “You’ve got to get out of here!' He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of there," Edison said.
thing. It was no time to be inquisitive," Sgt. Art Blair said.
“There was one girl that never did leave the building. Granted, she was on the first floor, but if the fire had gotten out of hand, she would have been a crispy critter," Blair said.
“We heard the alarm and we thought it was a false alarm. But, when we saw the smoke we thought ‘God this is real!’ ” said Jill Richards, a graduate student and resident of the building.
“There were people standing around the pool watching the smoke come out as if to say wow man there’s a fire and it was a while before someone called it in,’’ Richards said.
The fire alarm bell rings at least once a week, one student said and those false alarms contributed to the slow reaction.
4 “If the alarm rings once a week that's a surprise because I’m not over here once a week. Anytime the alarm goes off we should be notified," Busse said.
Engines from Station 48 were returning from a call and were flagged down by residents to handle the fire before Station 15 arrived.
Several students, resident advisors and the building manager attempted to battle the fire when it was discovered.
Paul Allan was standing in the balcony of his apartment brushing his teeth when he saw the smoke (Continued on page 2)
Staff photo by Jon Soo Hoo
TOMMY’S APPROVAL — The American Red Cross blood drive sponsored by the university began Monday. All students, faculty, and staff can donate in Student Activities Center 206 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through March 20.
By Gina Garza
Staff Writer
Freedom of Information Day coincided with a timely speech by Los Angeles Times reporter Bill Farr, who had faced 13 charges of contempt for refusing to reveal his news sources during the Charles Manson trial.
A reporter for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner at the time of the trial, Farr had obtained and published details from a prosecution witness’ pre-trial statement
that revealed that Manson and his followers had planned to murder several celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and Tom Jones.
Charles H. Older, the judge presiding over the case, who had previously prohibited those involved in the case to reveal information, asked Farr to reveal his sources.
Farr refused, citing Section 1070 of the California Evidence Code, which protects newsmen from con-
tempt citations for keeping their sources confidential.
Seven months later, when Farr had another job working for the District Attorney's office. Judge Older subpoenaed him, claiming that he was no longer protected under Section 1070.
“My problem stemmed from the fact that I wrote the story while working for the Herald Examiner, then I was cited for contempt when I changed jobs," Farr said.
(Continued on page 5)
Donald stood in the hall inhaling smoke as he watered down the apartment door which was hot enough to melt the plastic on the outside.
“That was the first real fire I’ve been in. Now I have a headache
about the fire because the smoke was too dark and dense, and their oxygen tanks were low on air.
DeVega and Fitzgerald broke a few windows to let the smoke out, checked to see if any of the rooms were occupied and ordered
ders were placed at the balconies of other apartments where some students were still in their third floor apartments.
Students were originally slow to react to the emergency because many of the residents thought the
CENTURY APARTMENTS — /
from hallways in the structure’
that feels like a hangover," Donald said.
Security officers DeVega and Fitzgerald donned breathing apparatus but could not do much
fire in a third floor unit caused second complex.
Donald, who insisted on helping, out of the building.
Los Angeles Fire Department Station 15 extinguished the blaze in approximately 30 minutes. Lad-
Photo by Steve Mao
thick black smoke to billow
fire alarm just signaled a fire drill.
“He would not be in there for smoke inhalation if the students had gotten out. They did get out when it was obviously the real

dfe% trojan
Volume XC, Number 28 University of Southern California Tuesday, March 17, 1981
ALARMS NEARLY IGNORED, ELECTRIC MOTOR THOUGHT TO BE CAUSE
Century Apartments residents escape injury in unit blaze
Man arrested for attempted rape, robbery; suspected arson reported
By Ruben Castaneda
Staff Writer
A 28-year-old man who allegedly assaulted and attempted to rape a university student on campus was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department early Monday morning.
According to Officer Carole Steele of University Security, three Security units were responding to a call of a man harrassing a female student at the corner of 35th and Hoover when they heard screaming from the area around the P.E. building.
They saw a man running from the vicinity of the screams towards the Seeley G. Mudd construction site adjacent to the Grace Ford Salvatori building, Steele said.
Security and the LAPD then set up a perimeter around the area, Steele said.
Between a half hour and an hour later, the suspect was seen and captured by LAPD officers, said Det. Bill LaBrie of the LAPD.
The man was booked by the LAPD for assault with intent to commit rape, LaBrie said.
Steele said the man was probably the same one who had been harrassing a student at the corner of 35th Street and Hoover Street. He had apparently come across another student near the P.E. building, then “pulled her into the bushes and tried to rape her." Steele said.
The victim of the assault was not injured. LaBrie said.
On Saturday night, two students were robbed at gunpoint by two suspects Security believes to have been committing similar robberies in the area. Steele said. The robbery occurred on the 3700 block of Menlo Street. The robbers, one of whom was armed with a tw o-inch blue steel revolver, ordered the students to lay on the ground and told them "don't get up." then searched them and removed their wallets. Steele reported.
(Continued on page 2)
Manson trial reporter defends press liberties
Was subpoenaed, jailed for refusal to reveal sources
By Darren Leon
Staff Writer A fire, possibly caused by an electrical engine, gutted an apartment unit and thick black smoke filled the third floor hallways of the Century Apartments second complex causing $3500 of damage.
The fire began in room 308 which was unoccupied. A closed door and the efforts of the building manager prevented disaster.
“If the door had been open aand the fire had spread into the hall, lives could have been lost. The manager was almost overcome by the smoke,” Fire Chief Lee Busse said.
Apartment manager Tom Donald was treated for smoke inhalation at the Student Health Center after he rescued one girl from her room and attempted to keep the fire from spreading by hosing down the door of room 308.
The electrical engine was thought to be the preliminary causeof the fire. Cindy Edison, a first year law student who was rescued by Donald said she heard a buzzing sound coming from the apartment before the fire started.
“I was in the shower and heard the alarms. I got out of the shower and opened the door and the halls were filled with smoke,” said Edison who lives across from the burning room.
“I yelled ‘Help!" and Tom said “You’ve got to get out of here!' He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of there," Edison said.
thing. It was no time to be inquisitive," Sgt. Art Blair said.
“There was one girl that never did leave the building. Granted, she was on the first floor, but if the fire had gotten out of hand, she would have been a crispy critter," Blair said.
“We heard the alarm and we thought it was a false alarm. But, when we saw the smoke we thought ‘God this is real!’ ” said Jill Richards, a graduate student and resident of the building.
“There were people standing around the pool watching the smoke come out as if to say wow man there’s a fire and it was a while before someone called it in,’’ Richards said.
The fire alarm bell rings at least once a week, one student said and those false alarms contributed to the slow reaction.
4 “If the alarm rings once a week that's a surprise because I’m not over here once a week. Anytime the alarm goes off we should be notified," Busse said.
Engines from Station 48 were returning from a call and were flagged down by residents to handle the fire before Station 15 arrived.
Several students, resident advisors and the building manager attempted to battle the fire when it was discovered.
Paul Allan was standing in the balcony of his apartment brushing his teeth when he saw the smoke (Continued on page 2)
Staff photo by Jon Soo Hoo
TOMMY’S APPROVAL — The American Red Cross blood drive sponsored by the university began Monday. All students, faculty, and staff can donate in Student Activities Center 206 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through March 20.
By Gina Garza
Staff Writer
Freedom of Information Day coincided with a timely speech by Los Angeles Times reporter Bill Farr, who had faced 13 charges of contempt for refusing to reveal his news sources during the Charles Manson trial.
A reporter for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner at the time of the trial, Farr had obtained and published details from a prosecution witness’ pre-trial statement
that revealed that Manson and his followers had planned to murder several celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and Tom Jones.
Charles H. Older, the judge presiding over the case, who had previously prohibited those involved in the case to reveal information, asked Farr to reveal his sources.
Farr refused, citing Section 1070 of the California Evidence Code, which protects newsmen from con-
tempt citations for keeping their sources confidential.
Seven months later, when Farr had another job working for the District Attorney's office. Judge Older subpoenaed him, claiming that he was no longer protected under Section 1070.
“My problem stemmed from the fact that I wrote the story while working for the Herald Examiner, then I was cited for contempt when I changed jobs," Farr said.
(Continued on page 5)
Donald stood in the hall inhaling smoke as he watered down the apartment door which was hot enough to melt the plastic on the outside.
“That was the first real fire I’ve been in. Now I have a headache
about the fire because the smoke was too dark and dense, and their oxygen tanks were low on air.
DeVega and Fitzgerald broke a few windows to let the smoke out, checked to see if any of the rooms were occupied and ordered
ders were placed at the balconies of other apartments where some students were still in their third floor apartments.
Students were originally slow to react to the emergency because many of the residents thought the
CENTURY APARTMENTS — /
from hallways in the structure’
that feels like a hangover," Donald said.
Security officers DeVega and Fitzgerald donned breathing apparatus but could not do much
fire in a third floor unit caused second complex.
Donald, who insisted on helping, out of the building.
Los Angeles Fire Department Station 15 extinguished the blaze in approximately 30 minutes. Lad-
Photo by Steve Mao
thick black smoke to billow
fire alarm just signaled a fire drill.
“He would not be in there for smoke inhalation if the students had gotten out. They did get out when it was obviously the real